Reflections (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Cody's news about the big step in his relationship leads to Steve's own reflections on love.


**Notes:** Thanks to Mari and Sammy for the love and support. Special thanks to Sammy for the title (levels!) and talking through ideas for the last scene. I don't know that it resembles anything we talked about, but you certainly got me rolling and I'm grateful.

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your wonderful enthusiasm and support. It still amazes me every day.

Esther – Glad you're caught up! ;-)

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Reflections (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Steve and Cody sat on a bench looking out over the beach after grabbing dinner at Kamekona's.

"Kaitlyn's been really into watching," Cody told him when their conversation turned to the Olympics. "She wants to be a gymnast now."

Steve grinned and started to respond when his phone buzzed. He looked at Cody apologetically. "I'm sorry. Give me one second."

Cody nodded his understanding. As Steve stepped away to take the call, Cody pulled his own phone out, smiling at a new text from Jess on the screen. He typed out a quick response, words that still felt new to him, and pocketed his phone, looking up just as Steve came back.

"I'm sorry," Steve said again.

"It's okay," Cody replied truthfully. "Do you have to go?"

Steve shook his head, retaking his seat. "No. Preliminary lab results I can't act on until tomorrow."

Cody felt his phone vibrate in his pocket with another text and smiled, knowing without looking who it was from and what it likely said.

Noticing the smile, Steve eyed him curiously and asked, "What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Cody asked, schooling his features.

Steve sat back, studying him. "You look … I don't know … there's something different."

Cody rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "I don't … um …"

"I know everything's good at home or you would have said," Steve continued. "Work's okay?"

"Yeah, it's good."

"And Jess …" At Cody's automatic smile, Steve grinned knowingly and nodded. "Ahh, there it is. You had a good anniversary, I take it?"

Cody looked down, his smile growing wide. "It was great."

"I knew she'd like the meal in the backyard. That was an excellent idea." His eyes twinkled and he teased, "Romantic."

"Yeah." Cody nodded slowly. After a beat, he glanced over at Steve and said, "I, um … I told Jess that I love her."

"You did?" Steve's eyebrow lifted in surprise. "That's … that's a big deal."

Clearing his throat, Cody shifted under Steve's gaze. "Yeah. I mean … she said it first but, but that's not why I said it," he quickly clarified. "I had been thinking about … actually I had been thinking about when we talked about love. Do you remember? I asked you what it felt like?"

"I remember," Steve said with a small chuckle. "I wasn't expecting it."

Cody grinned. "Yeah, you choked on your smoothie."

"I didn't choke," Steve balked, "I …" He shrugged at the teen's skeptical look. "You just caught me off guard." His lip twitched. "While I was drinking my smoothie."

Cody's grin widened briefly before his expression grew more serious.

"Well, I was thinking about it again. You said that your heart speeds up when you see her, and you want to make her smile."

Steve nodded. "Yeah."

"And I started thinking how that's what happens when I'm with Jess. Then while we were having dinner, we were just talking about work and band, and she …" He paused, searching for the right words. "She supports me, always. And I support her. She's nervous about being section leader, but she's gonna be amazing, I _know_ she is," he stated emphatically, and Steve smiled to see his vehemence. "And then she said something about next year's anniversary and I realized … she expected us to still be together next year, even though I know she's going to college but I don't really know what I'm gonna be doing …"

Steve's brow creased slightly at that but he stayed quiet as Cody rarely said so much at once and he sensed there was more to come.

"She expects us to still be together and I _want_ us to still be together." He looked at Steve, willing him to understand. "I just … want to be with her, you know? So when she said she loved me I knew I loved her, too." He swallowed at the sudden lump in his throat. "I love her." His voice was steady, though it was clear he was waiting for Steve's reaction.

Steve silently studied the young man beside him. He had been surprised by the turn their conversation had taken, but as he took in the earnestness of Cody's words, he nodded slowly.

"I should have recognized the look," he said. "I've seen it before." At Cody's confusion, he smiled. "In the mirror."

Cody let out a breath in a great whoosh.

"So you don't think it's … too soon? To say that?"

Steve paused, collecting his thoughts. He leaned forward on his knees, but looked at Cody as he spoke.

"You know, to be honest, Cody, there was a time I probably would have said 'yes' to that question."

Cody swallowed, his brow knitting. He leaned forward as well, unconsciously mirroring Steve's pose.

Steve shook his head. "But not anymore. Like I've told you, every relationship is different." He motioned with one hand. "Those moments, those milestones, they happen at different times and in different ways for everyone." He held Cody's gaze steadily. "If you feel it, then it's real. And when you feel you need to say it, you do. Whether that's after a year or ..." his lip quirked in a half smile, "a few years."

Cody's expression relaxed, and he exhaled with a smile.

Steve smiled back. "It's some feeling, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Steve sat back, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Nothin' else like it."

"You said it," Cody agreed, sitting back as well.

Steve raised an eyebrow at the easy agreement from the teenager and chuckled, dropping a hand to Cody's shoulder and giving him an amused shake.

Sobering a little, he asked, "Now, do we need to have another talk?"

"What about?"

Steve gave him a meaningful look, and Cody's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh! No, I … no, it's okay." He flushed, gulping. "I think we covered everything last time."

"All right. Just remember what I said. Consent, protection, and only when you're both ready."

Cody nodded hurriedly, his cheeks still pink.

Steve grinned, shaking his shoulder again. "Relax, Cody. You're in love, remember?"

And with that, Cody's smile was back in full force.

* * *

Steve parked the truck and walked towards the front door of the beach house, his conversation with Cody still fresh in his mind.

It was his job to read people, and it was a job he was very good at, however Cody's expression had been one he'd never seen on the teen. But as he'd said, not an unfamiliar one.

He remembered catching sight of his own reflection in the mirror the morning after he and Catherine had first said 'I love you.' There had been a lightness in his expression. A joy he hadn't seen before.

He also remembered the need to say it again. And again. He smiled now to think that Cody was going through the same thing. He was young, definitely. And Steve had spoken honestly when he'd said there was a time he would have thought it was too soon to say. But that was when his own past, his own experiences colored his thoughts on the subject.

Every relationship had its own path. That was something he believed wholeheartedly now thanks to Catherine. Her often repeated assurance that she didn't regret any of the steps on their path had convinced him because Catherine never said anything she didn't mean.

He would always be grateful for that. Just as he would always be grateful that she'd always known his feelings, whether or not he'd been able to express them.

Actions spoke louder than words, he still believed that. But the words mattered, too. These words mattered. And he was proud of Cody for realizing that.

He unlocked the door to the beach house and stepped inside. Cammie reached him first, trotting over from the kitchen to greet him. He bent to rub her head affectionately, remembering her role as impetus on that day two years ago, and looked up as Catherine emerged from the same direction, a warm smile on her face.

"Hi," she began, but didn't get another word out as Steve kissed her deeply. Though surprised by the intensity of the greeting, she quickly responded in kind, sliding her arms around his neck and allowing him to pull her even closer.

They came apart slowly, remaining close. He sighed happily at how she stroked the hair on the back of his head in a soothing gesture.

"I love you," he said simply, meaningfully, staring into her warm, familiar eyes.

She searched his face, moved by the quiet feeling in his words. Smiling brightly, she nodded as if answering an unknown, unasked question. "I love you," she told him, her words heartfelt and honest, never just an echo or automatic response.

Kissing her again, he shifted so he could lift her up into his arms. He took the stairs up to their bedroom unhurriedly, a well-traveled path that he never took for granted.

They made love slowly, passionately, reveling in every kiss and caress. Afterwards, they lay together, heartbeats slowing, breaths evening out.

"Not that there ever needs to be a reason," she said, her head pillowed on his shoulder. "But what brought that on?"

He thought about his reflections before entering the house, and summed them up in one word.

"Love."

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